Mr. RL Labroo (Joint President) Power Group in conversation with T & D India Magazine

1. T&D India July 2017
Case Study
32
n February 2014, Angelique
International Ltd clinched a
Euro 10.5-million contract to
build the Djibi substation in Ivory
Coast, a West African nation that
is known to be the largest cocoa
producer in the world. Signed with
the country’s Ministry of Energy,
Water & Petrol, and financed by
the West African Development
Bank, the contract placed by CI-
Energies involved setting up a new
225kV substation equipped with
4x50MVA power transformers, line
bays interconnecting the existing
Riviera and Abobo substations, and
a set of 15kV outgoing feeders to
energize the adjoining residential
and commercial areas. Notably, the
project also involved setting up a
full-fledged SCADA (supervisory
control and data acquisition) system
for remotely controlling substation
equipment.
The contract was won on
international competitive bidding
with Angelique International getting
the better of several contenders from
China, Spain, Germany, France,
Portugal, etc. Rattan Lal Labroo,
Joint President – Power Group,
Angelique International Ltd, told
T&D India that the contract was
fraught with challenges, starting
right from the nature of the soil
on which the substation was to be
erected. There was also a change in
project scope, well after much time
and manpower was spent during the
designing stage.
The terrain of the project site
was highly uneven with a level-
difference even reaching even up
to 4m at some points. As blasting
is not allowed in Ivory Coast, site
leveling was tedious. Adding to the
difficulties was the hard soil strata.
Heavy rainfall, during April-July
Djibi Electric Substation: Ivory Coast
Every project has unique
challenges and when it comes
to an activity like power T&D,
the impediments can often
be frustrating and daunting.
Surmounting hurdles and
commissioning a project within
the time and cost budget is
the aspiration of every project
implementation agency. Every
challenging project successfully
commissioned not only enriches
all project stakeholders but
also creates new industry
benchmarks. In this case study,
we take a look at how Angelique
International Ltd commissioned
a 225kV substation in Ivory
Coast despite all odds, and how,
empowered by the success of
this project, this rapidly-growing
West African nation has become
Angelique’s geography of keen
interest.
I
Case Study

2. Case Study
July 201733T&D India
Focus: Power T&D Contracting
and October in 2014 and 2015
compounded the problems. “Around
18,000 cubic metres of soil had to
be transported across a distance of
nearly 70 km,” Labroo recalled. This
involved some 2,000 truck trips. The
approach road to the project site,
which was around 5km, was muddy
and this had a debilitating impact
on the movement of man, machine
and material, especially in the rainy
season.
What also came to Angelique’s
aid was the company’s prior
experience in Ivory Coast. When
the Djibi substation contract was
awarded, Angelique had already
completed the Ferke substation
extension and the associated Ferke-
Zegoua transmission line, and was
in the midst of building a 90/16.5kV
substation at Anoumabo.
Change of design: When the
contract was signed, the substation
was to have three voltage levels,
namely 225/90/16.5kV. However,
due to non-availability of access
route for a 90kV transmission line,
that voltage level was dropped
from the project scope. Angelique
International had by then spent
much time and manpower on the
originalsubstationdesign.However,
it could catch up with the schedule,
thanks to the modular design
approach, explained Labroo.
Movement of equipment: A key
challenge, as Labroo reminisced,
was the movement of heavy
and over-dimensional project
equipment from India to Ivory
Coast. To maintain high quality,
Angelique International sourced
best equipment from India in line
with international standards. It
may be mentioned that Ivory Coast
does not as yet have manufacturing
capability in the field of heavy
electrical equipment like power
transformers. Angelique sourced
power transformers from the
Mandideep works of CG Power &
Industrial Solutions Ltd (formerly
Crompton Greaves Ltd) in Madhya
Pradesh. ABB India supplied circuit
breakers, capacitor banks, isolators,

3. T&D India July 2017
Case Study
34
Case Study
switchgear, SCADA
systems, etc.
The project suffered a
setback when it came to
shipment of transformers.
After reaching the
Jawaharlal Nehru Port in
Maharashtra, it was found
that the transformers,
after sealing the top
portion, showed excess
height than what was declared in
the packing list. The transformers
remained at the port for ten days
before the situation was remedied
and the consignment moved for
onward shipment through an RORO
(roll-on, roll-off) vessel.
There were more challenges in
store. Even when the transformer
consignment reached Ivory Coast,
the muddy and slushy roads made
the journey arduous. When it was
time for the transformers to be
unloaded from the trailers onto the
site foundation, it was found that
the crane capacity was insufficient.
A stronger crane had to be pressed
into operations.
There were comparable
challenges even when it
cametoprojectequipment
other than transformers,
which were also shipped
by containers. Especially
during the monsoons but
even on other occasions,
container-laden trailers
were stuck on the access
road compelling the
deployment of hydra to unleash
the trailers for onward movement.
Working around the situation,
Angelique International decided to
stock containers at the port during
the monsoons, bearing huge storage
charges in the process. It was only
when the roads were found to be
in motorable condition were the
containers moved to the project site.
These shipments were
meticulously handled by Necotrans
(for transformers) and Bollore (for
other equipment)—both France-
headquartered logistic solution
providers, noted Labroo.
Manpower: When asked about
manpower deployed at the project,
Rattan Lal Labroo explained that
the entire technical and supervision
team, representing the skilled force,
came from Angelique International’s
workforce in India. However,
temporary unskilled manpower was
sourced from Ivory Coast, and was
deployed largely for jobs like site
leveling. Angelique’s experience in
dealing with the staff of the client
CI-Energies was a pleasant one. “We
found the officials to be dedicated,
helpful and focused,” observed
Labroo.
Positive impact: When the Djibi
substation was commissioned in
October 2016, a new township in
Djibi including a multispecialty
hospital in the neighbourhood was
energized. The substation command
area saw holistic development—with
new amenities, business activities
and an overall uplift in comfort
levels.
The successful commissioning
of the Djibi substation also had
healthy consequences for Angelique
International. The 17-month long
contract, apart from other successful
commissionings in Ivory Coast,
createdabondingbetweenAngelique
International and the West African
nation. “The completion of both
Anoumabo and Djibi substations
helped us a lot in understanding
the standards followed by the
country. It also equipped Angelique
International in comprehending the
law of land better. These projects
have consolidated opportunities
for the organization to complete
such type of challenging jobs in the
region,” summarized Labroo with
satisfaction. n
– Venugopal Pillai
Focus: Power TD Contracting
Rattan Lal Labroo,
Joint President – Power Group,
Angelique International Ltd,